Brought back to life on an operating room table after a horrific car crash, Father Paul Bartholomew is haunted by frightening visions—especially the moments when he seems to inhabit the body of Christ at Golgotha.

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Publisher's Summary

The priest....Brought back to life on an operating room table after a horrific car crash, Father Paul Bartholomew is haunted by frightening visions—especially the moments when he seems to inhabit the body of Christ at Golgotha.

The skeptics....Dr. Stephen Castle, a New York City psychiatrist and renowned atheist, has built an international reputation for his book arguing that religion is a figment of human imagination. Professor Marco Gabrielli, an Italian religious researcher and chemist, has made a career of debunking supposed miracles, of explaining the unexplainable.

The miracle....For centuries, however, the Shroud of Turin has defied scientific explanation. Is this ancient remnant that bears such a vividly detailed pictorial representation truly the burial cloth that wrapped Christ after he was taken down from the cross? Or is it the biggest fraud ever perpetrated on the Christian community?

As Father Bartholomew—newly returned to his parish, the venerable St. Joseph’s Church in upper Manhattan—celebrates Mass, blood starts running down his arm. The horrified congregation watches him collapse to the ground, his vestments soaked with the blood pouring from wounds on his wrists.

The phenomenon is known as stigmata, when a person appears to manifest the wounds that Christ suffered upon the cross. But in Father Bartholomew’s case there is a mysterious added dimension: he has been transformed to resemble in almost every physical aspect the Christ-like figure represented on the Shroud of Turin.

Worried that Bartholomew’s case could be proved a hoax, the Vatican employs Dr. Castle and Professor Gabrielli to investigate. But for the well-known psychiatrist and the experienced man of science both, Father Bartholomew presents the most perplexing challenge either has ever faced.

What the Critics Say

"Corsi weaves an intriguing tale of science and religion that is more than a good read--it is about as near to an out-of-body experience as we are bound to witness. Believers and non-believers alike will be attracted to this book, if not for the same reasons." (Bill Donahue, The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights)

First let's ensure we all agree that George G is a hall of fame reader, and I feel he asserts that in this outing. If you like his style, you will enjoy this book. The story? I have to admit it had me for ALMOST all of it, and, to be truthful, it's actually a pretty damn good listen. You will likely agree with me about some parts ( I suggest towards the conclusion ) which are rather stark, and beg for further exploration. Overall however, I enjoyed this quick piece of Biblical fantasy, and recommend it.

Even George Guidall couldn't make this clunker interesting. With all respect to Dr Corsi's knowledge of science and political science, I think he stretched past his limits with fiction and theology, especially when combined. On top of the bad prose, this gives mysticism a bad name. (I added a second star for effort - it seems to be an earnest effort).

May be of interest to Dan Brown fans under heavy sedation or fundamentalist Catholics in need of physical proof of a physical Resurrection.

I liked this book because I am a deeply religious woman and have always wanted to have more information about the Shroud. It made me want to investigate more about the information given in the book, and although it is fiction, I hope the current science is well researched.

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